Alabama Football: Clemson LB issues should cue Tide running game

Alabama football should look to use their running backs more against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. Their linebackers may have issues with the run.

Alabama’s offensive coordinator Brian Daboll took a great deal of heat for not seeming to run the ball enough against Auburn in the Iron Bowl. He will have a chance at redemption against the Clemson Tigers in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

It also looks like a more balanced attack will have help from a linebacker situation for Clemson.

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Matt Connolly of TheState.com reported that “Clemson is likely to get linebacker Tre Lamar back for the Sugar Bowl against Alabama but will be without reserve linebacker Judah Davis, who recently suffered a knee injury.”

Lamar was Clemson’s starting middle linebacker until he picked up a shoulder injury against Florida State back in November. Connolly reported Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney stating, “We’re going to take it easy with him [in practice] and just go from there […] But he’s a lot better. His strength has come back, just really kind of an irritated nerve, that stinger was. But he’s doing good.”

Still, even with Lamar possibly returning in time for the Sugar Bowl, Clemson’s linebacker core will still feel aching.

Kendall Joseph leads the team with 86 tackles and Dorian O’Daniel is right behind him with 84; however, Lamar filling up the middle of the field with 50 tackles, including four sacks, helps flush opponents to the outside linebackers.

If Lamar buckles at any point from re-aggravating that tender nerve, it could be like blood in the water for Alabama running backs.

According to ESPN, Clemson ranks eighth in total defense, behind first-place Alabama by 46 yards given up per game. When looking strictly at rushing yards, the Clemson defense drops to 13th with 112.8 yards given up per game. A solid performance, to be sure, but not unbeatable.

The best running back that Clemson faced this season was AJ Dillon from Boston College. He earned 1 432 total yards and 13 touchdowns for the season. When Clemson faced him in September, Dillon only ran for 57 yards on 18 carries. Dillon ranks 12th for top running backs in the country.

Impressive. Yet, with most statistics coming from different conferences, numbers can be deceiving.

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The combination of Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, Joshua Jacobs, and Najee Harris is like facing the same man each time without him tiring. Each is subbed out and into the game, interchangeably. The Clemson defenders can only equate that to be if Dillon never slowed down for four quarters with, no disrespect, a much stronger offensive line than BC had in the fall.

Clemson’s defense is pretty simple: their front four on the defensive line, led by Clelin Ferrell‘s 8.5 sacks, wants to rip holes in an opponents’ protection and blocking schemes. Whomever survives that assault gets flushed to Joseph and O’Daniel for a severe pounding.

However, Alabama’s offensive line will not be as easy to rip apart like Clemson’s previous opponents have been. And, if Harris, Scarbrough, or any of Alabama’s plethora of running backs gets the Tigers linebackers one-on-one in the open field, they have both the speed and power to handle the situation.

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Especially if they get a head of steam going, instead of being directed to the sides by Lamar. If Clemson’s inside linebacker shows any weakness, the Alabama running backs will exploit it. That is, if their offensive coordinator actually calls enough running plays.

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